Marine propulsion device



July 20, 1954 Q CATO, 5 2,684,045

MARINE PROPULSION DEVICE Filed Aug. 12, 1953 INVENTOR. BY JAMES O. CATO, 5R.

Patented July 20, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE MARINE PROPULSION DEVICE James 0. Cato, Sr., East Point, Ga.

Application August 12, 1953, Serial No. 373,873

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in marine propulsion devices and has particular reference to such a device that is manually operated.

The invention has for its prime purpose to provide a hand operated propulsion device for use on row boats and other light draft craft where speed is not essential and where prolonged operation over relatively long periods of time is not necessary.

The device contemplates a drive shaft journalled in an elongated housing that is adjustably supported upon desirable parts of the craft, such as the stern board or the side boards and with the drive shaft operated by a manually controlled handle to in turn drive a conventional propeller through the medium of bevelled gearing.

The invention further contemplates novel adjustable supporting means for the housing that permits the housing to be vertically shifted to e control the depth of immersion of the propeller and with the supporting means also embodying a clamp for the rigid support of the device upon the craft, with the clamp also embodying means to vary the angularity of the device with respect to the craft.

An important object of the invention resides in a simple steering and latching device associated with the support in such manner that the device may be rotated a full three hundred and sixty degrees in either direction, thus providing a novel reverse drive and with the latching means being such as to engage and latch the propulsion device in any desired position without interrupting the driving connection to the propeller. 7

Other novel features of construction and operation will be apparent during the course of the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein has been illustrated a preferred form of the device and wherein like characters of reference are employed to denote like parts throughout the several figures.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a propulsion device constructed in accordance with the invention,

Figure 2 is a front view thereof,

Figure 3 is a top plan view thereof,

Figure 4 is a slightly enlarged fragmentary vertical section, taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section through a gear drive for the propeller, taken on line 5-5 of Figure 2 and,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a locking steering handle and associated parts.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the numeral 5 designates an elongated tubular shaft housing, open at both ends and provided with upper and lower bushings B. At its lower end, the housing has a rigid and preferably permanent connection to an inverted U-shaped frame I, having a flat bar 8 and a pair of depending parallel flat legs 9. Each. of the legs 9 are provided with tubular bearings I6, having bushings II, with the bearings and their bushings being axially aligned. Journalled in the bearings I 0, is a driven shaft I2, having one end projecting beyond the rear leg 9 for the splined support of a conventional marine propeller I3 having any desirable number of blades. Any conventional means may be employed to prevent displacement of the propeller, such as a nut or a set collar I4.

Supported upon the shaft I2, inwardly of the bearings ID, are a pair of spaced apart bevel pinions I5, with the pinions being equidistantly spaced to either side of the axial center line of the housing 5. One pinion I5, preferably the pinion to the rear of the device, is fixed to the shaft I2, as by a spline, not shown, While the other pinion is freely rotatable upon the shaft and prevented from shifting outwardly by its engagement with the inner end of the bushing II. Rotatably supported within the housing 5 and projecting beyond the upper and lower ends thereof, is a drive shaft I6, the lower projecting end of which has a set connection with a relatively large bevel gear ll. The gear I! has a permanent meshing engagement with the pinions I5, through the medium of which it serves to impart a relatively rapid drive to the propeller I3, through the fixed pinion I5, while the opposite pinion I5 supports the pinion I1 against any tendency to whip or vibrate and provides a more even drive to the shaft I2. The frame 1 may be braced with respect to the housing 5, by braces I8, suitably welded thereto. A preferably fiat keel I9 is welded to the lower ends of the legs 9 and serves to maintain the propulsion device in a straight line of drive. The keel I9 also serves to protect the gearing I5 and IT against injury when overriding submerged objects. The gearing is preferably Water lubricated.

Connected with the upper projecting end of the shaft I6, is a hand crank 20, manually rotated to impart rotation to the shaft I6 and associated parts. A wheel or other driving means may be substituted for the hand crank 28 if so desired.

Adjustably carried upon the housing 5, is a pair of spaced apart bearing sleeves 2|, having bushings 22. The bearings 2| are axially aligned and are held in fixed spaced relation by a flat bracket plate 23, the upper end of which is bent outwardly at a right angle, as at it and bent upon itself, as at 25, to form a generally U-shaped hanger support for the housing. The part is drilled and threaded for the reception of a threaded clamping screw 25, having an operating head 21 and a swivelled clamping disc 28. The lower end of the plate 23 is extended at opposite sides to form wings 29, that are apertured and threaded for the reception of threaded screws that serve to adjust the angularity of the housing with respect to the craft. The housing and associated parts are thus supported upon the stem or side board of the craft by the LI-shaped hanger support and, after the angularity of the device has been determined, the screws 30 are shifted to contact the side of the craft and then the clamping screw 26 is adjusted to securely clamp the device to the craft against accidental displacement or otherwise shifting while in operation.

Since the housing 5 has no fixed connection with the bearings 2 l, means must be provided to prevent the housing from freely sliding therethrough. This means embodies a split sleeve 3|,

having a pair of ears 32 that are apertured and r threaded for the reception of a clamping screw 33, through the medium of which the sleeve may be securely clamped in engagement with the housing and have normal resting support upon the upper bearing sleeve 2!. associated parts may thus be vertically adjusted with respect to the hanger, by first loosening the screw 33 and then sliding the housing up or down, as the case may be and then shifting the sleeve 3| to a point of contact with the sleeve 2i, after which the screw 33 is again tightened.

Means are provided to lock the housing against rotation during the operation of the crank 23, which means comprises a circular band 3 welded or otherwise rigidly connected with the top of the hanger 2d. The band is concentric with the housing 5 and has its upper edge notched, as at 35, for the latching reception of a combined latch and steering lever 38-. The lever 36 is shaped to provide an open frame 37!, the opposite sides of which have a pivotal support upon studs 38, carried by the sleeve 3!. Ti e pivotal connection of the lever 3%} permits of a vertical swinging movement to engage and disengage the lever from either of the notches The lever is rearwardly extended and apertured for connection with a tension spring 39, the opposite end of which is connected to an adjustable collar til, slidable upon the housing 5. The band 3 5 thus forms a fixed quadrant with the hanger through the medium of which the and associated parts may be rotated about a vertical axis by the lever 36 since, as before pointed out, the pivotal mounting of the lever is upon the split sleeve 3! and with the sleeve clamped upon the housing, by lifting the lever from a notch against the tension of the spring 39, the lever may be employed to swing the housing around its vertical axis throughout a full three hundred and sixty degrees. The band is notched directly over the hanger, at either side ninety degrees from the forward notch and another notch one hundred and eighty degrees from the forward notch. Intermediate notches may be employed as shown.

Thus, by lifting the lever 36 and swinging it The housing and through an arc of one hundred and eighty degrees to engage the rear notch, the propeller will be shifted to a full reverse drive position, shown in dotted lines in Figure 1. Thus, the operator may continue to rotate his crank 20 in the same direction all the time. This reverse action is particularly desirable when the operator is attempting to maneuver the boat in difficult places. The side notches, or the notches placed at ninety derees from the forward notch are most desirable when the propulsion device is mounted upon the side boards of a boat and serves to maintain the device in the forward driving position. Obviously, th operator can cause the boat to shift sideways, by swinging the lever 36 to the desired notch for either a full reverse drive or an abrupt angle drive. The spring 39 at all times urge the lever into engagement with the quadrant or band 3 5.

In use, the operator merely hangs the device upon the selected part of the boat and adjusts the screws 36 to position the housing at the correct angularity. The clamp screw 26 is then turned to clamping position. The lever having been set for instance. for a forward drive, the operator proceeds to rotate the crank 20 at a convenient speed to propel the boat forwardly. Should the boat become engaged in weeds or the like, the operator merely lifts the lever 36 and swings it entirely around to the rear notch, reversing the drive direction of the propeller and reversing the direction of movement of the boat.

It will be apparent from the foregoing, that a very simple propulsion device has been provided. The parts are few and economical to manufacture, are strong, durable and requir little or no attention. The drive gearing is simple and well balanced and results in a relatively rapid rotation of the propeller with a relatively slow rotation of the crank 20, thus permitting the operator to propel the craft and handle his fishing rod at the same time. The lock and steering lever and associated parts are simple and effectively maintain the propulsion device in a desired line of travel. The device is particularly desirable for use in trolling and especially in those lakes or other water courses where power driven motors are prohibited.

Changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts are contemplated as readily fall within the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A manually operated marine propulsion device of the character described that comprises a hanger having a clamping screw for clamping engagement with a boat, a pair of cylindrical and axially aligned bearing sleeves fixed upon the hanger, an elongated tubular shaft housing that has rotative support in the bearings, the housing being vertically adjustable in the bearings and maintained in vertical adjustment by an adjustable clamping sleeve that has resting engagement upon one of the bearing sleeves, th housing at its lower end provided with a rigid inverted 1U-shaped gear frame having parallel legs that are provided with axially aligned bearings, a drive shaft rotatable in the housing and having its opposite ends projecting above and below the ends of the housing, a hand crank fixed upon the upper end of the shaft for the manual rotation thereof, a relatively large ring gear fixed upon the lower end of the shaft to be driven by the crank, a driven shaft journalled in the bearing of the frame legs with one end projecting rearwardly of the frame and having a marine prolpeller fixed thereon, a pair of bevelled pinions supported upon the driven shaft to have continuous meshed engagement with the ring gear at diametrically opposite sides with one of the pinions being fixed upon the shaft and the other of said pinions being freely rotatable, the driven shaft arranged in a, generally horizontal plane at a right angle to the drive shaft, a steering and locking lever that has a pivotal support upon .the vertically adjustable clamping sleeve to swing in a vertical plane, a circular band rigidly connected to the hanger to be disposed in a horizontal plane concentric with the housing and having its upper edge notched for locking engagement with the lever, the lever at one end being extended and spring loaded to urge the lever toward the ring, the lever through the medium of the clamping sleeve serving to rotate the housing and associated elements to various degrees of horizontal 'angularity or to a full three hundred and sixty degrees fora complete reverse drive position of the driven shaft and its supported propeller.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the hanger is in the form of a flat plate having its upper end bent to form an inverted U-shaped head that is disposed over the edge of a boat structure and with a free end of the head provided with a clamping screw, the opposite leg of the plate being elongated and provided at its lower end with a pair of outwardly disposed wings having adjusting screws for varying the angularity of housing with respect to the boat, the axially aligned bearings being rigidly connected to the elongated leg in spaced relation, the vertically adjustable clamping sleeve being split and provided with a clamping screw to secure the sleeve in a desired position on the housing to determine the depth of immersion of the propeller, the sleeve being rotatably supported on the upper bearing sleeve in all positions of adjustment, the steering and locking lever intermediate its length being provided with a rectangular frame that embraces the adjustable sleeve and with the frame being pivotally supported upon the sleeve by a pair of oppositely extending lugs, the parallel legs of the gear frame provided with a depending fiat fin that is rigid With both legs and generally parallel with the driven shaft, .the spring loading means for the lever being wariable through the medium of an adjustable collar carried by the housing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,146,427 Hult July 13, 1915 1,451,452 Williams Apr. 10, 1923 1,857,636 Heide May 10, 1932 1,917,503 Crump July 11, 1933 1,961,506 Millican June 5, 1934 2,487,195 Stephens Nov. 8, 1949 

